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M-0209 Skytalon
"This is Geist One. All systems are go. She flies like a dream, and I can play her like a virtuoso's Stradivarius. If this unit went into mass production, gentlemen, there's no battle we couldn't win." — Raisa Marskaya, recorded Russian transmission during the debut test flight of the M-0209 Skytalon, 05 August NCA 115 16:30 Only one prototype of this ambitious fighter aircraft exists, created for the sole purpose of countering hostile mechs units. Funded by the Soviet Union and designed by a corps of Yuktobanian aerospace engineers, its design hearkens back to the glory days of the best Yuktobanian fighters, but the Skytalon’s capabilities are far more sophisticated than that. Its improved design allows it the mobility and precision of a helicopter, with all the thrust and power of a conventional supersonic jet. Its weapons systems are formidable, to say the least, and it carries everything it could possibly need to destroy its intended targets... but officially, as a mass-produced unit, the M-0209 "Skytalon" does not exist. History The Skytalon was originally developed as a joint venture between the Soviet Union and one of its satellite nations, the Federation of Yuktobanian Republics. Yuktobania, lacking the resources or the training to field an air force of mecha pilots, decided instead to create its own niche unit capable of taking down most conventional "humanoid" mechs. Yuktobanian engineers wished for a unit that was small, light, and could be reliably mass-produced without breaking the bank. Thus began Project Skytalon. Development was in part sanctioned by the Earth Federation Alliance, for it provided an alternative to conventional mechs, and the idea of an entire wing of these specialized, highly mobile "mech killers" was an attractive one. Fast deployment and fast response were attractive, though years of pilot training was acknowledged as a weak point of the program. Yuktobanian scientists wanted something that was In spite of the project's generous budget, the Skytalon suffered several initial setbacks. It seemed cursed from the start by mechanical problems, design flaws, and a plethora of personnel issues. Despite this, development continued in earnest. The mechanical problems were repaired, the design flaws were smoothed over, and personnel was shuffled around (or mysteriously resigned, in the case of a minor scandal or two). On 05 August NCA 115, a single, streamlined prototype finished production and was transferred to Murska Air Base, in eastern Yuktobania. The Skytalon was brought forward for a short maiden flight over the Ural Mountains, and the pilot chosen was none other than Raisa Marskaya, a brilliant test pilot and a famous war hero of the One Year War; accompanying her to operate the Skytalon's subsystems were her wingmen from the Belkan front: Belkan-born Yuktobanian pilots Geist Two, Dominic Heinslett, and Geist Three, Liese Lustig. The Skytalon's maiden flight proceeded smoothly, with no hitches or problems during takeoff, flight, or landing. Lauded a success, the project had every plan to go into mass production in the next two years. In the meantime, the Skytalon and a small complement of Yuktobanian escorts were scheduled to accompany a Soviet squadron during a recovery mission into the Siberian wastes to recover critical material from a crashed Soviet prototype. Though never recorded, an incident occured during the mission, resulting in the termination of all Soviet aircraft as well as the destruction of the snowbound prototype. The Skytalon was lost when radio contact failed, and what few official records exist suggest that the Yuktobanian pilots associated with the mission resigned after the incident. Following this incident, the Skytalon seems to vanish from history. No effort was ever made to recreate or recover it. In fact, the plans and blueprints detailing this prototype also seem to vanish. Official record denies anything beyond the prototype's unsuitability for mass production, but digging a little deeper would reveal that the original blueprints were also stolen. The culprit is suspected to be the test pilot, now believed to be using a false name. Even five years after the theft, a reward is being offered by the Soviet Union for the safe return of the aircraft and all related schematics, as well as the traitor Marskaya; the Union of Yuktobanian Republics has not offered commentary on the matter. Technology As an advanced prototype, the Skytalon boasts a number of technological improvements from its predecessors and a number of improvements over standard combat aircraft. It's fast, mobile, and capable of maneuvers that would leave normal aircraft in the dust. It can turn on a dime, apply its air brakes at impossible speed, and can even hover in place. Most of this is made possible by improvements to its airframe, surface areas, and lightweight engine systems. Airframe Nearly every square inch of the airframe has been designed for speed and maneuverability. Control surfaces, ailerons, additional air brakes, and canards have all been used for the sake of fast response time. The Skytalon also boasts an improved and expanded VTOL system, dubbed the All-Directional Advanced Control System, or ADACS. This allows the aircraft to take off without a runway, thrusting straight up and easing itself back down on a strictly vertical trajectory. Through the use of similar technology, it can also hover, supported by a large array of small, vernier-like thrusters positioned throughout the fuselage, and at key points on the undersides of the wings. The wings themselves are backswept, centered vertically on the fuselage. They are also variable geometry, which basically means they can change their shape, to a limited extent. In the case of the Skytalon, they have two basic configurations. At slow speeds or low altitudes, they're programmed to point straight out like a normal aircraft wing. At high speed or high altitude, they sweep back, forming a delta to reduce drag and increase speed. They don't change mass at all, instead relying on a complex system of hinges, concealed hollows, and computerized mechanisms to change their orientation. The leading and trailing edges of each wing also sport a narrow line of vernier-like thrusters, designed to work in tandem with the air brakes and the ADACS system. Notes on Mk. II Following the destruction of the Skytalon's first prototype, the aircraft has been reconstructed by Rachel Miu Athha with cooperation from Anaheim Electronics and Morgenroete, Inc. As well as an engine refitting, the Skytalon's frame has been reconstructed and reinforced, to allow the aircraft to achieve escape velocity and operate in space. Powerplant Though its airframe is light, Yuktobanian designers wanted an engine system that would be responsive, lightweight, and above all offer unparalleled thrust to weight ratio. Special twin engines were designed to fit the Skytalon's engine bays — and so the ZENITH twin engines were developed specifically for the project. These engines are designed to produce phenomenal thrusting power. Though they lack sufficient power to achieve escape velocity, they do have enough power to keep pace with even the most sophisticated aircraft engines in existence. These dual engines are smokeless due to their modern component materials, and they generate incredible heat during use, especially combat operations. (On conventional heat-seeking radar, this tends to show up like a big glaring "EAT AT ED'S" neon sign.) In order to function at all, the engines have been outfitted with a circuitry of durable, high-tech coolant piped around, over, and through the engine blocks. Visible as a bright and luminant cyan, this liquid coolant is a top-secret formula developed specially for Project Skytalon. If these coolant circuits were damaged, the Skytalon would destroy its own engines (along with everything else) within seconds. With these engines, the Skytalon is capable of reaching speeds up to 2310 mph, with comparable engine thrust. This allows it to keep pace with the likes of high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft without breaking a sweat. The engines' basic design are afterburning turbofans, which are normally inefficient at high altitude, but adjustments and tweaks were made to correct this inherent flaw, and the Skytalon performs just as well at high altitude as it does lower in the atmosphere. Notes on Mk. II After the destruction of the first prototype, the Skytalon currently employs a GN Tau drive, fitted by Morgenroete, Inc. and Anaheim Electronics. The Tau engine allows the aircraft to achieve escape velocity, and provides the same level of performance and manoeuvrability as the original ZENITH engines had. Cockpit By virtue of its complexion, the Skytalon necessitates a crew of three in flight. The first seat is the pilot's, the second is the weapons operator's, and the third is the communications and navigation operator. Like most aircraft, the Skytalon's cockpit is designed to eject when the pilot is in danger or the airframe suffers massive damage. The Skytalon's cockpit is equipped with its own thrusters to clear the wreckage, and it even has its own parachute. Though the cockpit has no weapons, it does have a beacon implemented, for ease of retrieving compromised pilots. Weapons Systems The project originally called for an aircraft that could act as a mobile weapons platform. In that aspect, the Yuktobanian engineers definitely succeeded. Cannon The Skytalon's main weapon is a cannon, located at the root of the starboard wing, which fires 30mm shells. The aircraft carries a load capacity of several hundred rounds' worth of ammunition, with the ammunition storage reached via access hatches. Though such a cannon is a relic from Yuktobania's earlier forays into air combat, simplicity is still best in some respects... and using such old technology also means cutting costs. Hardpoints Under each wing rests several pylons, or hardpoints, which can be loaded with a large variety of weaponry. Air to air and air to ground missiles are the most common type of ordinance, guided by the aircraft's own avionic systems. In the absence of reliable systems, they will fly unguided. The hardpoints can also be loaded with standard bombs. These in turn can be laser-guided, designed for precise targeting, or they can be unguided, used to deal a large amount of splash damage to an unspecified target. Finally, fuel-air explosive bombs are the third type of bomb ordinance. These potent munitions are filled with a volatile mix that ignites relatively easily, causing an enormous explosion at high temperature. Though designed primarily for ground targets, a very skilled pilot could theoretically drop them on moving targets. Talon XCL-02 Chemical Laser The pride and joy of the Skytalon's designers is the Talon XCL-02 chemical laser. Situated between the engines' air intakes, this massive chemical laser is designed to incinerate most mundane materials on contact with its beam. Originally developed as a mining technology, it was appropriated by the Yuktobanian military, refined by the Soviet military, and finally developed into an effective, high-intensity weapon. The Talon can only fire in a short, seconds-long burst and only carries a few charges at a time; any more than this would endanger the Skytalon's airframe due to the heat it creates, which in turn would interfere dangerously with the heat generation of the engines. Even so, it can be a devastating last-ditch weapon in the right hands. Significant Errata Flaws As a prototype, it's only natural that the project is still plagued by flaws. Since it was stolen before completion, the Skytalon still has a few major problems; problems which may never be corrected as they were originally intended. At the heart of the matter the Skytalon's avionics are useless. Based on the latest generation of military avionics, they're cutting-edge in traditional air warfare, but in the midst of super robots, radar and wireless communication are almost impossible. Even mild interference from Minovsky particles can ruin any ingoing or outgoing signal. Worst among the Skytalon's flaws are its engines. Though touted as a high-tech solution to the need for mobility, speed, and reliability, they were never developed to their full potential. Problems in their heat generation were inherent to their design from the start. They're very prone to overheating. A specialized coolant system is visibly wired all around the engine housings to keep them from slagging the airframe (or themselves), but any damage to the coolant systems will guarantee massive damage to the engine blocks and the airframe, if not destroying it outright. The armor systems are also poorly designed. Vernier-like thrusters allow for precision maneuvers, but they were a trade-off, eschewing armor for high mobility. Beam-based weapons are particularly devastating to the airframe, mostly for its lack of effective plating. Its designers apparently had evasion in mind rather than sinking damage, and it was never moved far enough into production to strike a balance between the two. In terms of mobility, the Skytalon is versatile over most land and sea terrains. It can perform well in high altitude and maintain respectable speed, but it was never designed to pass through the atmosphere into the crushing realm of space. The engines aren't powerful enough to achieve escape velocity, and the thinning air pressure would only stall the engines in an attempt. Furthermore, the fuselage isn't thick enough to withstand the pressure vacuum — the cockpit would be crushed like a tin can. Extent Prototypes Mark I • Destroyed 17 November, 120 Original prototype built by the Yuktobanian-Soviet Aerospace Consortium. Destroyed by Stella Loussier over the Mediterranean in battle, when Federation forces attempted to halt Katharon forces from recovering several key resources. Mark II • Current Rebuilt by Rachel Miu Athha with the help of Morgenroete, Inc. and Anaheim Electronics, with several improvements to its core design, including a Tau Drive engine and reinforcements to the airframe, allowing it to achieve escape velocity and manoeuvre in space. Currently in service to the Geist Squadron. Category:Mech